I've just read some very bad news on the internet, Tony Hart, has sadly passed away aged 83. I for one am very saddened by this, as Tony captured the artistic spirit of an earlier generation, just as Mark did for later generations.

Taken from his website. http://www.tonyhart.co.uk/
"Fans around the world extend their condolences to his family and his best friend Roc Renals who will surely miss him. Speaking to the BBC, Roc said:

"I was for many years his best friend, agent, manager and publicist. He suffered two strokes many years ago and his health declined since then."

Wilf Lunn who starred in Vision On said:

"His legacy was the fact he really started all these children's programmes, Art Attack and all that, and he was the guy, right at the beginning.

"And he was the guy who had all these little tricks that teachers used to use because they make things look easy, and we got people into doing it. And he was such a nice man."

Tony was best known for his work with the BBC as a television artist in a variety of programmes including 'Vision On', 'Smart Hart' and 'Hartbeat'. Tony Hart's television career spanned some 50 years in total. He is known throughout the world and his programmes have been dubbed into many languages. He was involved with a number of charity auction events each year and made regular guest appearances on TV and Radio. In 1984 his BBC programme, "Take Hart", won a BAFTA (British Oscar).